This invention pertains to an apparatus, as used to provide an effluent, from which ion-exchange capacity of a sample of a selected type of ion-exchange resin can be determined analytically.
It is known for a sample of a selected type of ion-exchange resin to be regenerated, rinsed, and contacted by a salt solution, which exhausts ion-exchange capacity of the sample, so as to produce an effluent, from which ion-exchange capacity of the sample can be determined analytically, as by titration. It is conventional for such steps to be performed manually, often by firms specializing in ion-exchange resins.
As described in Bulletin RA-077 of Illinois Water Treatment Company, Rockford, Ill. 61105, a prior apparatus to perform such steps automatically had been offered commercially. The prior apparatus proved to be unreliable and thus unsuitable, primarily because of mechanical problems associated with various timing cams, which were used to actuate various mechanical switches controlling respective solenoid valves in selected sequences, one sequence for strong-acid cation-exchange resins, another sequence for strong-base anion-exchange resins, and another sequence for weak-base anion-exchange resins.
There has remained a need for a reliable apparatus to perform such steps automatically. This invention is addressed to the need.